Tucked-away and bejeweled, here is a hidden treasure of Southern, beckoning and beguiling those who may trod the entrance of weyrbridge: steps cut upwards, switching back and outer-railed, to terminate in a sheltered ledge of stone. Here, greenery blooms in fragrant profusion, scenting the air and quieting the minds of those who stroll amongst the cultivated rows of cultivars. Flowers, and tiny fruit-bearing trees limn the walkways. Tables and benches scatter organic throughout the rambling concourse, providing easy rest for those who challenged the stairs… or the craft shops beyond the scrolled wooden door at the innermost part of the terraced ledge.

The rain has finally let up for a bit, meaning that it isn't oppressive for someone to escape outside when air is needed today. Amani, being a point of contact for complaints as of late, is quite grateful, taking advantage of the non-rainy weather to wander the garden terrace. Breathing is good. This is a good place to remind herself of that. Zymuraith perches on a ledge above where her bonded walks, emerald green eyes watchful over any who pass below.

Contrary to some (Mayte's) popular belief, D'wane doesn't break everything that he comes across. Today might not be the day to prove that assumption wrong though, considering his walk for fresh air has ended up directly in front of a poor, poor tree. The storms have not been kind to the ornamental plants and it seems like the gardeners have had more important things to do. Right now, the Weyrsecond is kind of poking at a limb that's a bit… splintered. "That doesn't look good." It's muttered more to himself than anybody else that might be around.

How long has it been since she last ventured this far into Southern? Veena can’t quite remember but the bluerider isn’t visiting for sight-seeing. She’s on a mission… one that technically COULD have been relayed via dragon but maybe there’s something about it that has spurred her to temporarily leave her post as Black Rock Hold’s watch rider? Who knows. Czrygheth landed some time ago in the bowl and stiffly made his way to a nearby ledge to perch upon sentinel like; daytime won’t see him overly active. With the blue ‘silent’, Veena eventually makes her way to the terrace after a few well placed queries and only looking minimally flustered. “Weyrsecond D’wane? And weyrwoman Amani. Do you both have a moment?” Veena even makes good with the salute, even if her expression is a touch grim.

The voice of the Weyrsecond brings Amani out of her pensive meandering, dark eyes lifting to the big bronzerider and then the tree he's inspecting. The splintered branch gets a grimace. "Yeah. They can't really bounce back after something like that, can they?" she asks before Zymuraith brings the approaching bluerider to her attention. She turns, drifting closer to D'wane as she surveys the somewhat grim-faced woman. "Bluerider…Veena," she greets with return of the salute. "You're Black Rock's watchrider, aren't you?" That fact alone alerts her to this visit not boding well, considering the state of that particular hold at the moment.

"Can't we just like… trim the broken one off?" D'wane's tilting his head to stare at that poor little limb. "It'd be lopsided, but maybe have a chance?" He shrugs, clearly no farmer, just a man on a walk that happened to observe something that probably needs fixing of one sort or another. The sound of his name from an unfamiliar voice does have him straightening up and spinning around, face carefully back to the old neutral guard expression. By the time he gets a glance at the knot, Amani is already identifying the rider by name. He'll nod and give a quick salute back. "Watchrider. This isn't good news, is it?" Please prove him wrong…

“Is it ever good news if a Watchrider is on your doorstep in person?” Veena’s grim expression breaks for that moment of sassiness, gaze darting between Amani and D’wane both. Clearing her throat, she’ll sober and move on to business. Sadly, it will not contain any info on how to help that poor tree! Instead, it’s likely to make everyone’s day just that much more… complicated. “Veena,” Amani was right! “Blue Czrygheth’s rider. And yes, Black Rock is where we are stationed.” For now. “Normally wouldn’t bother you with idle gossip but this was just… odd.” She gestures for them to step closer, not at all uneasy around Leadership ranks. A quick glance around and then Veena leans in to quietly murmur her news. “A small trading craft left the Hold not long ago. Heading south, down the river? Probably carrying thirty people… which makes it overloaded. They’re saying it’s bound for Southern Barrier, as was suggested by the Weyrleaders. However there’s some sources of mine — and I can vouch for ‘em, well… They’re expressing some doubts on the destination. Something isn’t right.”

The poor little tree well and truly forgotten, Amani turns her full attention upon Veena alongside D'wane, though she does glance up at Zymuraith briefly. There's something being relayed to Rhiscorath now, most likely. The bluerider's sass earns a subtly appreciative smirk before the rest of the news comes, and the young goldrider moves when beckoned, unconsciously leaning closer herself. "Risking a trip overloaded doesn't seem right to start with," she murmurs with a frown. "What are these sources of yours guessing at?"

D'wane raises an eyebrow at Veena's sassy retort, but he just crosses his arm and listens to the rest, expression growing steadily more grim. "Is that the only odd thing that you've noticed? While it does seem strange…." He'll agree with Amani there, "It hardly seems like the sort of news that would call for an in person trip from the watchrider to deliver the news…." He'll glance first to the weyrwoman beside him and back to the bluerider. Something else is going on here, surely!

"I was in the middle of something, Rhis!" The yell is at odds with the peaceful scenery of the Terrace, but it's effective in that a path clears out before the short short-tempered woman storming by. Pulling up short before the trio of D'wane, Amani, and Veena, Mayte draws herself up a little and lets out a breath. "Alright. So, what?" Then Mayte eyes Veena again because the other two, she knows.

Veena casts D’wane a look but she bites back any further sass… kind of. “You think I’d drag Czrygheth out this far if I didn’t think it was worth it? Or not just wait to relay it. Yeah, it’s odd! Even by Black Rock standards. That storm has muddied things up — and I’m not just talking about the waters and damages. You got all sorts of folk displaced.” Hint hint? Or not. She sighs, slightly exasperated. “I know it sounds like I’m just jumping at shadows but I’ve been stuck there long enough to know the difference between grumbling and uneasy mutterings.” Starting a bit at the yell, Veena will straighten, only to relax a fraction to offer Mayte a salute. “Weyrwoman! Veena, blue Czrygheth’s. Watch rider. Just… bringing in news of something off about a recent trading craft leaving the Hold. And that’s just it,” She darts a look to Amani. “They’re saying it’s not bound for Southern Barrier at all.”

Amani trades looks with D'wane before lifting her head at the sound of Mayte's approach. It's to her direct superior that she'll direct her attention for the moment, filling Mayte in on what Veena's brought to their attention so far - the southbound overloaded boat rumored to be heading for the Barrier Hold…but not, as Veena just noted. "Where else would it be bound?" Amani asks. "It seems suicidal to try for that long a haul loaded up that way."

"Plus it's sharding cold up that way," D'wane's going to point out the other flaw in the whole grand overloaded ship plan. "They might even start running into ice before they'd even get to the Hold…" Mayte's arrival gets a salute and he tries to subtly shift to block that sad tree behind him that he didn't break. The watchrider's ire is met with a shrug. He doesn't know her well enough to know if she'd be a shirker or not, but he does frown at the mention of the rumors about it not being bound for southern barrier. "Not more of those fuckin' smugglers? I thought we got ride of them after the whole volcano thing.."

As long as there is no book on it, D'wane is safe. Mayte salutes Veena back formally and eyes her curiously. "A trading craft saying they're going one way, but they're going another…" if that summarizes things. Eyes flick to Amani and then D'wane but she comments, "People have tried dumber for less reward…" This particular goldrider wasn't here for a lot of the history but she shakes her head slowly: "Smugglers aren't just people. They're an idea. Like some of the families in the Igen Bazaar," to Amani for whom that might make sense. To Veena, Mayte asks, "Any new faces at Black Rock? I know they're rebuilding," carefully skirting around pronouns and assumed responsibilities, "but anyone?"

Veena merely shrugs her shoulders and spreads her hands in a helpless gesture… or one of them, anyways. It’s obvious even under her jacket that her right arm still doesn’t quite have the same range of motion near the shoulder. She nods to Amani, “Suicidal or not, if you’re desperate enough… or the right folk are doing the talking, it’ll get folk doing shit they shouldn’t.” Or they’re being swindled. She snorts, “There’s always smugglers! Just not always with people.” Silly D’wane! Mayte, however, is given a relieved look. “Exactly that. An idea. Black Rock tends to be full of ideas.” Of all sorts. Grimacing, Veena looks down as she mulls over the Weyrwoman’s prompt. Eventually she can only shake her head. “None that stick out. Everything’s still kind of… chaotic. If anyone new has settled in, they’re laying low enough not to trigger the usual traps. Wouldn’t put it past someone to capitalize on the mess, though.” Distractions all around!

Mayte's observation about smugglers earns a slightly exasperated nod from Amani. The notion is as insidious as Igen's sand. "Wouldn't be surprising, certainly," the younger goldrider drawls, giving a sigh. "So what should we do with this? They're headed up the river; someone can follow? Shells, I'll go follow." Anything to take her away from fielding any more complaints via hide work today!

"You won't go follow!" D'wane's going to be quick to jump in on that one, staring down at the junior weyrwoman. "If they are smugglers and not just idiots, you and Zymuraith should not be anywhere near their possible crossbows. I'll speak with M'noq." And Va'os too. he should probably let his boss know about sending the Weyr's sneaky-sneaky wing out to do some sneaky-sneaky things. "Well, Thanks?" To Veena, because really, what does one say to the bearer of bad news. "Keep your ears and eyes out more. Never know when something else might pop up."

It's like a puzzle, and Mayte loves puzzles, plucking at her lower lip pensively (it's not her fault when they have the wrong answers). "Yeah, ideas." Amani's offer earns the younger woman a commiserating grin but Mayte answers, "You gonna paint Zymuraith the colour of the sky, get her to blend in?" Hint: golds aren't as invisible as they like. Also? "I heard that, Rhis and no, you're not subtle." Plucking her lower lip one more time, Mayte straightens a little. To Veena: "Okay, you're too well known in the area. But, you're our official contact between the Weyr and Southern. Keep your ears open and watch for anyone making noises. Keep an eye on where that ship is heading, even if it's on your sweeps." For D'wane, Mayte says, "We could use someone on the ground there. Kodi's good, or Ibrahim, or D'har. A smaller dragon, but someone who can play a part." And for Amani? The older goldrider turns back to the younger and grins: "You could always help Ardstelle work out the tithing from Black Rock?" It's so innocently put that it might as well be a fate worse than Threadfall. Anyways. "Alright, we ahve a plan for now. Let us know," to Veena, "if anything changes."

“Czrygheth and I are night watch. We’ll relay anything immediately,” Veena promises to D’wane, along with a respectful nod. No in-person deliveries like this one but the blue will certainly know who to report to! There’s a fleeting grin for Amani’s suggestion of going herself but says nothing. Mayte’s reminder of her being too well know is given a grin. “I’ve my contacts.” she echoes back, but nods. Understood! Another crisp salute and the bluerider is already beginning to edge away. “Will do. I’ve got to head back.” And perhaps they’ll not hear from her! No news is good news, right? Regardless, Veena is making a hasty retreat, with proper farewells to all. She has a blue to convince to budge so they can both get back to Black Rock Hold.

"Oh for Faranth's sake," Amani starts to snip back at D'wane, but then it turns out to be a conspiracy and the younger goldrider can only flush angrily. She's not going to explode in front of Veena, at least. But she will go so far as to comment, "May as well say I've been volun-told for it, right?" before wishing the watch rider clear skies and striding off down the steps to the Bowl, Zymuraith gliding down after her. Ah, the plight of the junior Weyrwoman!